Over the years, a wide variety of covering systems have been developed for truck cargo beds and where these cover systems have become known as “tonneau covers.” For years tonneau covers have been utilized to protect the interior of the cargo bed against weather, environmental contaminants and where, in some cases, to improve the aesthetic looks of the vehicle. Tonneau covers are typically constructed symmetrical to the cargo bed and where mounting is typically in synchronization with the top walls of the cargo bed without a significant height increase.
Originally tonneau covers were designed by upholstery shops and were typically constructed of vinyl or other polymer, fabrics or canvas. Unfortunately these covers were sometimes difficult to handle and often led to corrosion issues developing around snap fasteners used to hold the cover to the cargo bed.
Today most tonneau cover systems designed to prevent corrosion issues are constructed as one piece systems employing glass fiber, plastics or weather resistant fabrics over an internal frame work. This internal frame is often employed for cover support, mounting and ease of access to stowed cargo within the cargo bed.
Occasionally the internal frame work will employ hinged panels to provide one or more opening sections or, in other designs, the covering can be disconnected from the internal frame work and rolled up. Thus, in all cases, these various designs provide ease of installation or access to stowed cargo without requiring the total removal of the covering system from the cargo bed.
Quick release clamps are often employed to allow easy installation of the covering system to the cargo bed and where, on occasion, it may be necessary to remove the cover due to hauling a cargo that may exceed the height limitations of the cargo bed.
As an example, a clamping method can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,906,407 issued to Schmeichels. Schmeichels discloses the use of a series of C-clamps which are used to fasten an internal framework to a cargo bed.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,893,073 issued to Wheatley discloses the use of clamps composed of two members which bolt together to retain an internal frame rail to a downwardly facing wall within a cargo bed. Wheatley discloses an internal frame rail which provides a hook where one of two clamp members can be hung and tightened together to produce compression attachment of the frame rail to the cargo bed.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,334,830 issued to Weldy discloses an internal framework having cross framing. Within the cross framing, a single slotted track is used to provide slide adjustability for the clamping system.
While all prior art referenced above has promoted the use of covering systems, they are not without faults. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,893,073 issued to Wheatley requires the use of tools and is somewhat complicated and cumbersome for consumer use during installation or removal of the covering system from the cargo bed.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,334,830 issued to Weldy provides quick and easy installation or removal for the consumer. However in Weldy's slot mechanics, the clamp hangers must be installed during the manufacturing process thus increasing costs to the consumer.
Our response to some of the aforementioned faults in the methods and systems used in the accessing of stowed cargo or for the installation of the covering system to the cargo bed will be addressed by the field of the present disclosure. These and other features and advantages may be incorporated into certain embodiments of the invention and will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. The present invention does not require that all the advantageous features and all the advantages described herein be incorporated into every embodiment of the invention.